Book an architect, help Simon Community

HELPING to open doors — to those who aspire to better designed houses, modest extensions or even a storage solution, as well as to the homeless, that’s the aim of the forthcoming RIAI Simon Open Door Day.

Coming up to its fifth year, this chance for an hour’s practical consultation with an architect on your own personal housing ambitions, is a real money spinner for the Simon Community, which works with up to 7,000 people who are homeless.

Architects’ body the RIAI and Simon have confirmed March 7 as the day when many of their members around the country will offer their services for a €75 fee, for an hour’s informative discussion, insight and opinion on the design/building front. It aims to raise around €50,000 for the Simon Community, and will bring the total netted since 2004 to around €200,000.